"Ah!" Stepping out of the dark base, sunlight streamed through the holes in the mask, hitting his pupils. Asuka raised a hand to shield his eyes, then turned to look at his peers emerging one after another behind him. Why are these guys avoiding me?
"Hey, wanna grab some barbecue?"
Before he could finish, the Anbu rookies quickened their pace, running even faster.
When they heard the captain say that this guy's Summoning Beast was a Ninja Cat, they guessed he might be an Uchiha, but they didn't expect this Uchiha to beat up the captain right away.
Although the captain asked for it, he went too far.
As expected of an Uchiha, so ruthless! Judging by her figure, the captain must be good-looking. So ruthless! From this, we can easily deduce that someone who doesn't appreciate beauty is unlikely to cherish teammates.
Whoosh~ A gust of wind blew past, and Asuka's raised arm froze in mid-air.
He scratched his head, then looked at the budding branches overhead, a mutter rising in his heart.
Although I've heard that there isn't much interaction between Anbu members, it shouldn't be this bad... What's wrong with having a barbecue to foster some camaraderie?
"Hey, you're not going to avoid me too, are you?"
Just then, Asuka saw Yuhi Kurenai walking out slowly.
He used a Body Flicker Technique to appear next to Yuhi Kurenai, walking alongside her as he continued, "Long time no see!"
"Long time no see!"
Yuhi Kurenai responded faintly.
She was three years younger than Asuka, so they weren't exactly close, but they weren't strangers either. They used to run into each other often at the Ninja Academy, and when he passed her, he would often stare at her eyes for a long time.
She had been praised for her beautiful eyes many times, but being praised by a member of the Uchiha clan, who prided themselves on their Sharingan, was a first for her.
"Kurenai, who is the Jonin from the Sarutobi family who's our squad leader today?
I don't think I've seen her before?"
Hearing this, her red eyes shifted slightly to the left. She glanced at Asuka's clear eyes, and seeing no lecherous expression on his face despite the captain's voluptuous figure, she said softly, "The captain is Third Hokage-sama's daughter-in-law. She's been in Anbu since we were at the Jonin Academy. I saw her when Third Hokage-sama invited me to his house as a guest before."
Is that so? Asuka blinked, his mind recalling the weddings held in the village after he transmigrated to Konoha.
It seems I didn't attend any weddings in the Sarutobi family.
The Third Hokage-sama has only invited me to his office a handful of times.
The preferential treatment is too obvious.
Land of Fire, Konoha Village, Hospital, top floor.
Asuka carried fruit in one hand and flowers in the other, strolling leisurely from the east side of the corridor to the west side.
Earlier, when he was chatting with those Sand Ninja, he unexpectedly learned some news.
Pakura, she hasn't been discharged yet.
He pinched his fingers and calculated that seven days had passed since the two fought.
Although the level of those in the Konoha Medical Department varied, treating muscles was easy. With Pakura's recovery speed, she should be almost healed in three days.
Is she trying to scam me?
At this moment, a ninja wearing brown clothes stopped Asuka and asked.
"You're here to visit Sunagakure's Pakura too, right?"
"Yes!" Asuka nodded, looking at the Konoha Forehead Protector on the other person's head, and asked in surprise.
"How did you know?"
"Many ninjas in the village have relatives and companions who died at the hands of Sunagakure. When they learned that Pakura was ill in bed, they all grabbed their Kunai, wanting to come and visit."
As he spoke, the man scratched his head, looking a little troubled.
"Let me give you a friendly piece of advice.
Sunagakure and Konoha are about to form an alliance soon. The village leaders have issued an order that no Sunagakure ninja can have any accidents here.
Moreover, even if you see Pakura, you will only be throwing your life away.
Her strength is really strong."
"Oh?" Asuka craned his neck and looked in the direction of the ward. He saw two Sand Ninja with cold faces at the door of the distant ward, looking around fiercely like door gods.
He now had a better understanding of the situation he might encounter when he went to Sunagakure.
I might really get beaten up..."
Asuka patted the man in front of him on the shoulder, then took out a certificate from his pocket and handed it to him, saying.
"I was sent by the village to Sunagakure for a 'friendly exchange', and I'm here to ask Pakura about some things."
"Ah? Is that so?"
After taking the certificate from the other party, the man checked it slightly, then moved to the left, giving Asuka a wide enough passage.
He really was a ninja going to Sunagakure for an exchange on behalf of Konoha.
Looking at the other party's departing back, the ninja couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
The number of people from Sunagakure who died at the hands of Konoha was far greater than the number of people from Konoha who died at the hands of Sunagakure. He probably wouldn't have a good time when he got to Sunagakure.
Pakura was lying on her side on the hospital bed, studying the recent intelligence of the ninja world in her hand.
[Konoha has the upper hand against Mist Village.]
[Konoha is evenly matched against Cloud Village, but because Iwagakure collectively withdrew, Cloud Village has drawn a lot of ninjas from the battlefield to guard against Iwagakure's sneak attacks.]
[Iwagakure withdrew its troops to defend against Cloud's sneak attacks and is negotiating a ceasefire agreement with Konoha]
"Konoha has stabilized the situation again!"
Pakura's faint voice sounded in the room.
"This time, Konoha has won again. I wonder what the Daimyo will do to the village next."
Setting aside the information that disturbed her mood, Pakura placed her hands on her stomach and closed her eyes to meditate.
Rare moments of peace; besides sleeping, she didn't know what else to do.
Collecting information wasn't something she needed to do personally.
Bargaining with the Daimyo wasn't something she needed to do either.
With the end of the war, she suddenly found herself with so much free time. Squeak!
Just as Pakura closed her eyes, she heard the door being pushed open, followed by light footsteps and the sound of a chair being moved carefully.
What are those guys doing here? Didn't they agree not to disturb me, even for meals?
They already compensated Konoha with so much money; the village might face famine in the future. Who's in the mood for eating now?
Hearing the rustling sounds nearby, Pakura opened her eyes with some displeasure.
She turned her head and saw a familiar figure sitting on a chair not far from the bed, legs crossed, right hand holding a small knife, focused on peeling an apple.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, shining on the black-haired boy, as if gilding him with a faint golden edge, accentuating his handsome face, making it hard to look away.
At this moment, the ward, filled with a faint fragrance, was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the sound of fruit being peeled in the distance, bringing a sense of peace.
The Uchiha, they really are good-looking.
Pakura quietly looked at Asuka's face, and after a long while, she finally spoke.
"What are you doing here?"
"You're awake?"
Asuka looked at Pakura, surprised, then looked down at the half-peeled apple in his hand, peeling as he spoke.
"Seeing that you haven't been discharged for so long, I came to visit."
Hearing this, Pakura turned her head to the other side and scoffed.
"What's the point of being discharged? To go out and be scolded by your Konoha villagers, to be given the Byakugan treatment?"
"That's true!"
Asuka took a bite of the apple, stood up, walked to Pakura's bedside, and said casually.
"Quite a few people died at the hands of you Sunagakure back then.
It's a pity that I went to another battlefield during the Third Shinobi World War and didn't have the chance to fight you."
"There's a chance now!"
Seeing the other party staring at her, eyes full of intense fighting spirit, Asuka suddenly felt that the sugar in the apple had decreased.
Not sweet enough... That black marketeer tricked me again. "My body has long recovered."
Pakura's lips curled up as she spoke, and she looked at Asuka's stunned expression, extending her fair and slender right hand from the blanket, reaching for the ninja tool bag on the cabinet, provoking him.
"Seeing that my body has recovered, are you afraid?"
Huh? Just as her arm reached halfway, she noticed something suddenly in her palm. After gently squeezing it, Pakura looked at the peeled apple in her hand, and she was stunned for a long time.
"Pakura, this might be the last all-out war between our major ninja villages. Let's enjoy the brief peace while it lasts."
Looking down at the astonishment on Pakura's face, Asuka slowly moved his gaze upward, looking at the Sunagakure Forehead Protector on her forehead, his mouth twitched a couple of times.
He almost forgot that in the future, Sunagakure would join Orochimaru in taking out the Third Hokage-sama.
Oh well! Anyway, the ninja world of the future is generally peaceful.
Crack!
The crisp sound of biting into an apple pulled Asuka back from his reverie. He watched Pakura take small bites of the apple and shared the information he had received that morning.
"In the future, I will be going to your Sunagakure as Konoha's medical representative for a while, to exchange ninjutsu insights with your Medical Department, and to learn some medical knowledge from Chiyo-sama."
"Heh~"
Pakura looked at Asuka with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, and slowly said.
"Did you know? Your village has sent representatives to exchange insights before, but those people often have accidents.
For example, the Tailed Beast goes on a rampage, ninjutsu is misfired, Exploding Tags accidentally land in your house, or even drinking a mouthful of well water can lead to poisoning..."
Hearing this, Asuka rubbed his chin with one hand, frowning.
"According to you, won't my days in Sunagakure be very difficult?"
Seeing Asuka's bitter face, Pakura took a bite of the apple in her hand and casually said.
"Not really, if you become my slave, you won't have to worry about any threats from the village."
As soon as she finished speaking, Pakura paused in chewing her apple. She rolled her eyes slightly, looked at the hand that suddenly pinched her cheek, and then looked at Asuka with an unkind expression, questioning.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm checking how thick your skin is, to be able to say such things without changing your expression."
Looking at the dangerous look in her eyes, Asuka busied himself inserting the flowers he had brought into a vase next to him, and said seriously.
"Last time you came to Konoha, I beat you into the Hospital. Although I carried you for a long time afterwards, I guess you weren't in the mood to appreciate the scenery of Konoha at that time.
It's a rare visit, and it's a pity to stay in the ward all the time. I'll take you to stroll around Konoha this afternoon.
And in return, you can take me to stroll around Sunagakure when the time comes."
At this moment, a breeze suddenly blew in from outside the window, and the white curtains rustled in the wind.
She looked at Asuka's serious expression, and when she thought of how he had carried her for a long, long time, constantly stopping the civilians who were throwing things at her and the Konoha Ninja who were hurting her, she no longer had the heart to continue speaking.
After slowly finishing the apple in her hand bite by bite, the core in her hand was taken by the other party and thrown into the trash can.
Pakura took the wet towel and wiped her hands, then turned her head to look out the window. Hearing the laughter coming from the street, her thoughts also drifted back to the village.
Her disciple "Maki," she might like Konoha's apples.
They're quite sweet.
The afternoon sun was always so slow, the sunlight filtering through the branches and scattering on the road, making one feel peaceful and warm.
The bustling streets of Konoha were as lively as before the war, as if no great battle had ever occurred. The dead ninja did not seem to affect the lives of these civilians.
"We've both won 5 times, barely a draw. Let's decide the outcome with this one match."
"Sigh, it seems useless for me to say no. Can I choose the event for this final match?"
"What should we compete in? Taijutsu, a 100-meter race? Diving? An eating contest would also work."
"Forget it, I need to conserve chakra lately. Let's just play rock-paper-scissors."
"I accept. I absolutely won't lose.
Kakashi, if you lose, I'll make you walk around Konoha upside down 500 times."
"Sigh!"
"It's decided then."
Rock, paper, scissors. Watching the two guys playing rock-paper-scissors under the tree not far away, Pakura pursed her lips, trying hard not to laugh out loud.
There are so many idiots in Konoha.
No, my stomach hurts.
I am Pakura, the hero of Sunagakure. I must have a strong will.
To think that a dignified ninja, the son of White Fang and the son of Might Duy, would decide their contest with rock-paper-scissors. These two are truly oddballs.
Ever since she saw the guy with the black mask acting so strangely, Pakura had wanted to laugh out loud.
She never expected that White Fang, whose name alone made their village abandon missions, and Might Duy, who once kicked the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to pieces, would have such dull sons.
They don't seem like they could pose a threat to the village.
"Laugh if you want!"
Uchiha Asuka stared blankly at the two playing rock-paper-scissors. He wouldn't add fuel to the fire this time, since he still had to spar with Kakashi tonight.
Let him be happy this afternoon.
"Pfft~ Hahaha, I just didn't expect White Fang's son to be like this.
If Elder Chiyo knew about this, she would probably be happy for a while."
Hearing this, Asuka looked at Pakura's gloating expression and slowly said,
"Yeah, they've always been like this. I've been trying to stir things up for years, but it's no use."
"Something must be wrong somewhere."
Pakura rested her chin on her hand, pretending to analyze diligently.
"I heard that Kakashi had a Sharingan transplanted into one of his eyes. Could it be that he's being influenced by the Sharingan?"
"That news has even spread to Sunagakure?"
"You guys in Konoha didn't hide the news at all. Anyone who pays attention to Konoha's intelligence knows that White Fang's son had a Sharingan transplanted into his eye."
Saying this, a flash of lightning streaked through Pakura's mind, and she stared at Asuka's eyes, asking doubtfully.
"You Uchiha Clan, just let your eyes flow out like that?"
"It can't be considered flowing out!"
Asuka shrugged, and after identifying the direction slightly, he said as he walked.
"The Sharingan came by proper means. It was a gift from a companion out of personal will. Plus, his master is the Fourth Hokage. The clansmen can only complain in their hearts.
Moreover, the Uchiha Clan has always been loyal to Konoha. The clan also sees Kakashi's talent. There's no need to ruin such a genius for the sake of one eye.
It's just a Two-Tomoe Sharingan. Except for some elders in the clan who nag a few words, the rest choose to turn a blind eye.
We're not the Hyuga..."
"Cough~ Cough~"
At this moment, a series of coughs sounded from the side. Asuka stopped and turned to look at the Hyuga clansman not far from him, and said.
"Hiashi-sama!"
"Yes!" Hiashi nodded. He glanced at Pakura, who was following Asuka, and said in a low voice.
"Be careful not to let the Sunagakure ninja get hurt. The negotiations are about to end."
"Understood!"
Asuka and Pakura stood aside, watching Hiashi lead a pregnant woman towards the direction they came from. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised her eyebrows.
"Is that the Hyuga Clan Leader?"
"Yes, the one in his wife's belly is the next Hyuga Clan Leader.
Actually, I feel like he's the one who should get a vasectomy the most.
Think about it, according to the Hyuga's rules, after he gives birth to this child, he will have to apply a seal every time he gives birth to another one. Isn't this screwing over the children?
A vasectomy is good. It brings happiness to Hiashi's family, and it saves him from having to worry about whether the next generation should be in the branch family."
"Tsk, the Hyuga Clan is really feudal."
"Yeah! Yeah!"
"Asuka, I recently heard that you advised your clan leader to get a divorce. What's going on?"
"How many spies have you guys planted in Konoha? Why does this kind of thing get out?"
"A lot.
You have to be careful when you go to Sunagakure this time. Don't get your eyes dug out."
"Alas, without Uchiha blood, using the Sharingan has a lot of side effects."
The two walked towards the distance in the setting sun, their figures stretched very long. The civilians walking on the street looked down at the ground, and could vaguely see the shadows reflected on the ground, gesticulating exaggeratedly.
The gentle spring breeze blew into Konoha, rustling the treetops.
[Congratulations to the host for using perseverance and wisdom to make Kakashi see your talent.
Although your talent is somewhat lacking compared to Uchiha Itachi at the same age, he still believes that given enough time to grow, you will definitely be able to improve your strength to the point of standing shoulder to shoulder with Uchiha Itachi.
You have now gained Kakashi's approval, do you want to settle the rewards?]
Indeed.
Forcing Kakashi to attack him with schemes was somewhat against the person's wishes.
Thinking that he used the excuse of guiding Kakashi's Sharingan to make him use the Sharingan, frantically consuming his own chakra, and then knocked him down in just a few minutes! Looking at Kakashi's departing back, he tugged at his clothes, letting the cool air pour into his chest, blowing away the heat inside.
Kakashi's use of the Sharingan is getting stronger and stronger, luckily I fought him for ten minutes.
"Settle!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Asuka felt a burst of stinging pain in his eyes again. As the pain became more and more intense, the Sharingan automatically opened and began to spin rapidly.
The increase in this heat flow was also extremely terrifying, nearly 20 times more than the last time.
If the Sharingan was digitized, before he obtained the system, his progress towards opening the Mangekyo was [3000/10000]
After completing the first mission, his progress towards opening the Mangekyo was [3000.5/10000]
After completing the second mission, his progress towards opening the Mangekyo was [3120.5/10000]
So after completing this mission, his progress towards opening the Mangekyo is [3320.5/10000]
A full two hundred points were added.
If I complete another mission next time, it shouldn't reach four thousand, right? That would be too terrifying.
At the thought of possibly unlocking the Mangekyo after doing two more missions, Asuka's arm froze in mid-air.
What if I don't have a brother and go blind after opening the Mangekyo? Clatter!
At this moment, a crisp sound came. Looking for the sound, he saw an ancient bronze key on the ground.
[A mysterious key: It can open a mysterious box filled with Uchiha's secrets, which may contain forbidden techniques to improve your strength.]
???
Asuka held the key tightly in his hand. He stood up and searched around for a few circles before returning to the original point, silently saying in his heart.
"System, where's the box?"
Whoosh~ A gust of wind blew past. Asuka looked at the silent system, his face slowly turning black.
Giving me the key but not the box, huh? Where the hell am I supposed to find a box that can be opened with this key? Looking down at the key with its rather ancient manufacturing process in his hand, Asuka twitched the corner of his mouth a few times before putting it in his pocket, feeling speechless in his heart.
As a Jonin of the Uchiha Clan, he knows most of the Uchiha's secrets, but he has never heard of the Uchiha Clan having any boxes that can't be opened. Could this box be in the clan leader's house or in the clan's vault? Looking up at the moon in the sky, Asuka showed a thoughtful expression, talking to himself.
"I have shed blood for the clan, I have made contributions to the clan, and I am about to go to Sunagakure for the clan. It should be no problem to pick some things from the clan's vault tomorrow.
The clan's vault is in the clan leader's house... I'll take a look then."
Afterward, he turned his attention to the exchange ticket.
[Luosifen that you'll love after eating (extra stinky and spicy)]
[Unlimited supply, pre-made version, eat directly after opening the lid]
Whoosh.
Silently, a large bowl of Luosifen was refreshed directly in front of Asuka.
The long-lost familiar stench rushed towards him, filled with ingredients such as sour bamboo shoots, fungus, and sour beans, topped with green vegetables, and dotted with peanuts and snails. The color was bright and the appearance was excellent.
"Not bad, exceeded expectations. I thought it would be the kind of deceptive prepackaged stuff."
Asuka held the Luosifen, couldn't help but take a big sip of the soup first, and then started slurping the noodles, soon revealing a satisfied smile.
Mm, the spiciness is just right, and the taste is also good.
[New mission issued: After you gained Kakashi's approval, many people in Konoha Village know that your talent is comparable to Uchiha Itachi, and they have been educating their children at home to take you as their goal.
At the same time, many girls who are obsessed with your handsome appearance ask you for advice, and you have frequent private exchanges.
At this time, Naruto also noticed you. After thinking about it for a long time, he challenged you.
The pride of the Uchiha in your heart makes you fearless of any challenge.
You directly agreed with him to a small forest and started the fateful first duel.
But when you released two C-Rank Ninjutsu and one B-Rank Ninjutsu, your chakra was exhausted. Not only was the other party not frightened by your deliberately misdirected ninjutsu, but he even stepped forward and punched you. Six words popped into your head.
Too little chakra!
Due to the slow growth of your own chakra, please find a way to increase your chakra through some means to cope with the situation of insufficient chakra.]
[This mission can be abandoned.]
[This mission reward: Deepen the Sharingan's opening progress once, Body Flicker Technique cultivation acceleration card (30 days), and a weapon similar to Samehada.]
The system is still the same system, and the rewards are very good.
Asuka stared at the Body Flicker Technique cultivation acceleration card and pondered secretly.
Hmm... 30 days probably won't be enough to master the Eight Gates, right?
Even if the card can be used as a month for one day, it's only 30 months.
For the Eight Gates, it probably takes more than 200 months of continuous cultivation? Whoa! He moved his gaze away from the card and focused on the mission.
[Increase your own chakra through external force]
Asuka knows several ways to increase chakra through external force.
1. Catch a Tailed Beast and seal it in the body to become a Jinchuriki. 2. Transplant Hashirama Cells. 3. Become the master of Samehada, etc. And the strongest chakra battery in the ninja world should be the Nine-Tailed Beast.
Back then, Kinkaku and Ginkaku obtained the Nine-Tailed Beast's chakra by eating the Nine-Tailed Beast's flesh, and were thus honored as the "Two Lights of the Cloud."
Nine-Tailed Beast, huh... Asuka looked at the village, and the scene of himself holding the Nine-Tailed Beast and taking a bite in the future flashed in his mind, and he smacked his lips secretly.
There are many people in the ninja world who have eaten Tailed Beasts, but only two have succeeded, and the rest have died.
As for Minato Namikaze, who is constantly gnawing on Kushina, he doesn't have any Tailed Beast aura on his body until now. Apart from having a pair of Sharingan and some blood relationship with the old Six Paths, he can be said to have no advantage.
Convincing Minato Namikaze to seal the other half of the Nine-Tailed Beast into himself?
It seems that a transmigrator senior has done this before.
But as long as Minato Namikaze's brain is not short-circuited, he will not give the Nine-Tailed Beast to an Uchiha.
"Sigh!"
The next day dawned.
Asuka sighed and walked out of the house, came to the Great Elder's house.
After thinking about it all night, he couldn't think of a good way to increase his chakra.
This mission is not difficult for the real Sasuke. As long as he gets a little stimulation and opens a tomoe in his Sharingan, he can get a surge of chakra.
But I already have the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, it's not that easy to awaken the Mangekyo.
"Great Elder!"
Seeing the Great Elder coming from the back to the front yard, Asuka greeted him and explained his purpose.
"Hmm!"
The Great Elder sat upright in the main seat, pondered for a moment, and nodded.
"The clan vault does have some things, but mostly ninjutsu collected by the clan. If you're hoping to find something useful for your trip to Sunagakure, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed.
In the past, there were some forbidden techniques in the clan vault, but unfortunately, Uchiha Madara took them all."
Thinking of the clan's glorious history, the Great Elder's eyes filled with tears, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.
The clan vault used to be all-encompassing, covering ninjutsu of various attributes, and even some family's inherited ninjutsu.
But now the clan vault is somewhat flashy and impractical.
The current clan vault has many weapons for show, and Exploding Tags that make it look full from the outside.
When he returned from the clan vault with Asuka, the Great Elder looked at the scroll in his hand with some emotion.
"Lord Madara didn't fail to get some benefits for the clan. When he and the First Hokage hadn't broken up, he acquired some sealing techniques, but no one in the clan learned these things.
Later, the clan improved many sealing techniques, making them more suitable for the clan members to practice.
For example, the Uchiha Flame Formation..."
"Great Elder, farewell!"
Seeing that the other party was about to start reminiscing about the clan's history again, Asuka's mouth twitched, and he quickly bypassed the old man, preparing to use the Body Flicker Technique to leave.
He came to the clan's vault just to find that box, but after searching around, he found nothing, and then randomly grabbed a sealing technique and came out.
After returning from Sunagakure, he would go to the clan head's house to look for it.
At this moment, the Great Elder seemed to remember something. He waved his hand at Asuka's back, his voice aged.
"There will be a clan meeting in the evening. The village has approved Fugaku's application to go to the battlefield."
"Huh?" Asuka stopped, turned to look at the Great Elder, and asked in confusion.
"Why go to the battlefield at this time?"
"Although the Third Shinobi World War is generally over, there are still some small battles in some areas. Fugaku plans to take Itachi to the battlefield to see what war is like."
"Tsk! Tsk!"
Hearing the ambiguous tsk-tsk sound from Asuka's mouth, the Great Elder stroked his beard and said with a smile.
"I have seen Itachi's talent. Although it is a bit early to go to the battlefield at the age of four, the ninja world will probably be peaceful for a long time in the future. It's good to go and see it now."
Looking at the Great Elder's flushed face, Asuka curled his lips. He also understood what these people were thinking, which was to train him in advance.
What you think of Itachi going to the battlefield: accelerated maturity, Sharingan awakened, and then crushing the new generation in the village all the way, becoming the village's pride.
But in reality, he goes to the battlefield: suddenly discovers that war is hell, begins to think about the meaning of life, and from then on becomes a man who loves peace.
Even to achieve
"What's with this awful smell in the air?"
Hmm? After the Great Elder's reminder, Elder Ryoichi also noticed a strange smell suddenly appearing in the air. He turned his head to look at another elder beside him and said with disdain,
"Old thing, how many days have you not washed your socks? This sour and stinky smell is making my eyes hurt."
"This old man doesn't wear socks!"
Stretching his foot onto Ryoichi's leg, he wiggled his toes a few times before standing up. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun wildly as he shouted into the distance,
"Go take a dump somewhere else, do you think Nanga Shrine is a latrine?"
After he finished speaking for a while, he didn't see anyone respond to him. Just as he thought the matter was resolved, the strange smell in the air became even stronger.
"Who is it?"
Ryoichi stood up, his Sharingan also starting to spin. After scanning around, he looked at Asuka, who was still eating noodles, and frowned.
"Boy, you're not afraid of affecting your appetite eating here."
"It's fine!"
Asuka waved his hand at the agitated Uchiha elders, then picked up the Luosifen in his hand and continued to eat heartily.
He was hungry and tired after training. If the clan head hadn't been late today, he wouldn't have had to fill his stomach here.
Asuka, who was too focused on eating, didn't notice that the surrounding Uchiha clansmen had all stood up at this time, frowning deeply, and then their facial features twisted, their expressions somewhat tangled and painful. If this wasn't Nanga Shrine, they would have really thought they had walked into their own latrine.
After searching around nearby and finding nothing unusual, Ryoichi came to Asuka's side, cursing. He looked down at Asuka, who was drinking soup.
Just as he was about to pat him and ask his grandson for a chicken wing, he suddenly noticed that the smell here was unusually strong.
Ryoichi pinched his nose and subconsciously lowered his head, putting his nose into the bowl in Asuka's hand, sniffing lightly.
"Hah!"
Asuka raised his head and breathed a sigh of relief.
Bang! He looked at Elder Ryoichi, who was sitting on the ground with his butt, and raised his eyebrows when he saw the unbelievable expression on the other's face.
"Elder, are you looking for me?"
"You, you... you... what are you eating?"
Ryoichi, who was stuttering a little, pointed at the empty bowl in Asuka's hand, his body trembling subconsciously.
He felt like he had found the source of the strange smell.
"This?"
Asuka's gaze fell on the empty bowl. He wiped his mouth, summoned another bowl, handed it to Ryoichi, and his expression suddenly became sad, his tone low.
"Our clan is a clan of love. No family loves more deeply than the Uchiha.
This is a food I developed that is suitable for our Uchiha Clan to eat.
It has the taste of love."
Smelling the increasingly strong sour and stinky smell in the air, Ryoichi was rarely silent.
Is the taste of love this sour and stinky?
After a moment of silence, he seemed to think of something. Subconsciously, he took the still steaming bowl of Luosifen, looking down at the wood ear, green beans, vegetables, and other ingredients floating on top. After confirming there was no excrement, Ryoichi casually broke off two twigs from a nearby tree, picked up some noodles, and took a bite.
He mainly wanted to taste what the taste of love was like.
He had lost love for many years.
Slurp!
After a mouthful, Ryoichi closed his eyes, and images of his deceased comrades flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.
He could now eat such novel things, while they had long been sleeping underground.
Thinking of this, he picked up another mouthful of noodles and put it in his mouth.
This unpleasant smell was somewhat similar to the sourness that welled up in his heart when he saw others holding hands and strolling down the street back then.
"Ryoichi, what are you eating?"
At this moment, Ryoichi suddenly heard the Great Elder's horrified voice behind him. He cleared his throat, which had become a little hoarse from the chili peppers, and said in a low voice.
"Our Uchiha Clan is a clan of love.
And this noodle is full of the taste of love. It reminds this old man of some things that he once sought but could not obtain.
Recalling some heartbreaking things from back then, and now taking another bite of these noodles, tasting the sour, sweet, spicy, and other flavors in my mouth, the pungent sour smell rushes straight into my brain through my nostrils. My state of mind now is exactly the same as it was back then.
This food is indeed suitable for us Uchiha."
As he spoke, he handed the noodles in his hand over, signaling the Great Elder to try them as well.
???
The Great Elder glanced at the strange-smelling noodles in Ryoichi's hand, then looked up at Ryoichi's eyes full of reminiscence. The action of pinching his beard froze.
This thing... is so strange? Should he try it? But looking at the leftover noodles in the bowl, and then at the half-eaten noodles in Asuka's hand, the Great Elder's expression sank. He seemed to make up his mind, reaching out his old arm towards Asuka and saying.
"Boy, you're the one who made this, right?
Give this old man a new bowl."
Asuka looked at the Great Elder's expression as if he were facing death, smacked his lips, and made another bowl of Luosifen for him.
Slurp ~ "Hmm, it does have some flavor. You all come and try it."
Based on the principle of sharing good things, after taking a bite of the noodles, the Great Elder waved to the surrounding clansmen, signaling them to come and eat together.
As more and more Uchiha clansmen were called over by the Great Elder and Elder Ryoichi to experience the taste of love, the stench in the air became stronger and stronger.
"Let's eat inside the Nanga Shrine.
If we continue to eat outside, others will think the Uchiha family is cooking shit."
Under the leadership of the Great Elder, these Uchiha Jonin, one by one, carried the Luosifen in their hands and all entered the Nanga Shrine.
Not to mention, it tastes pretty good.
The taste of love.
Sour and stinky.
One hour later.
Uchiha Fugaku's family of three slowly walked over from a distance.
Uchiha Itachi looked up at his father, and seeing the gloomy expression on his face, he asked in a low voice.
"Father, did the Hokage-sama look for you just now? What's the matter?"
"Finalizing the war."
"Father, where are we going?"
"Rain Country or Water Country, it depends on the border situation."
Hearing this, Uchiha Itachi nodded. He is now very unfamiliar with war, with only some simple records in books.
With incomplete torso, intestines slowly sliding out of the stomach, body... Mikoto looked at Uchiha Itachi's silent expression, reached out and stroked his head, a trace of heartache flashed across her face, and then she became calm again.
As the young patriarch of the Uchiha Clan, these are things he must experience.
The trip to the battlefield can also be regarded as the first lesson in life. Only after experiencing some things personally can one mature.
Creak!
Looking at the Nanga Shrine gate being pushed open, Uchiha Mikoto looked calmly at the clansmen inside.
As the clan leader's wife, she hasn't attended a clan meeting for a long time.
Today, she just wants to see how that bastard Uchiha Asuka is persuading Fugaku to marry another woman at the clan meeting.
???
Toilet smell??? Uchiha Mikoto smelled the strange smell in the air, she rubbed her nose, and frowned subconsciously.
Is there something wrong with her nose? Logically speaking, there are no toilets near Nanga Shrine.
But what's going on with this disgusting sewer smell?
After sniffing a few more times, she looked at Itachi, who was covering his nose, and Fugaku, who was a little dazed, and a look of sudden realization appeared on her face.
So it's not that there's something wrong with her nose.
"Burp~"
A melodious burp came, and the Great Elder patted his stomach and stood up, facing the clan leader's family standing blankly at the door, his voice hoarse.
"Clan leader, close the door first, lest people think that our Uchiha Clan is cooking something indescribable."
"Okay!"
Uchiha Fugaku nodded with difficulty. After he closed the door, he walked to the main seat, sat down cross-legged, and said calmly.
"The smell here??"
"The taste of love!"
The Great Elder nodded affirmatively, rubbing his smoke-reddened eyes. Then, his gaze landed on Uchiha Asuka, and he raised three fingers, stating firmly,
"Three bowls!"
Just as Fugaku's family was feeling bewildered, Uchiha Asuka bit his thumb, formed the hand seal for the Summoning Technique, and slammed it onto the table.
With a flash of white smoke, three large bowls filled with Luosifen instantly appeared on the table.
After placing the three bowls in front of Fugaku and the others, Asuka rubbed his smoke-reddened eyes and said,
"Clan Head, tonight belongs to the Uchiha, and the rice noodles are filled with the taste of love. Please, enjoy."
He regretted it.
Dozens of people eating Luosifen in a secret room... the smell was just too overpowering.
The key was that each person ate more than one bowl.
It stung the eyes.
???
Fugaku smelled the sour stench emanating from the bowl and glanced at the Jonin of the clan below. Seeing that their eyes were all red and swollen as they looked at him, the anticipation in their eyes made his heart skip a beat.
He hesitated for a moment, but trusting in his clansmen, he picked up his chopsticks and began to taste it.
Hmm... the taste is acceptable.
That's what he thought, but Uchiha Mikoto, smelling the sour stench piercing her nostrils, rubbed her somewhat dizzy head and stared intently at Asuka, as if she wanted to devour him.
How could I possibly eat something like this? Shit-flavored chocolate is nothing compared to this.
This was probably the true reflection of Uchiha Mikoto's current feelings.
After quietly pushing the Luosifen in her hand towards Uchiha Fugaku, she subconsciously clenched her fist.
So angry!!
I really want to hit someone!! Due to the overly stimulating smell in the secret room today, Uchiha Fugaku simply said a few words after eating the Luosifen and let the group of Jonin, who were almostsmoked silly, leave.
His eyes were stinging from the smell as well.
When Uchiha Mikoto passed by Asuka, she glared at him fiercely and let out a chilling laugh.
Not counting the suggestion he made, she had been made fun of by him twice.
First, the pastries that were so unpalatable, and now, the noodles that smelled so awful... It was truly infuriating.
As time passed, it quickly reached midnight.
At this moment.
Most of Konoha was asleep.
Uchiha Itachi reached out to his side, and when he found it empty, he sighed softly in his heart.
He was going to the battlefield tomorrow, and his mother had said that she would sleep with him tonight.
Is she leaving already? Uchiha Itachi slowly opened his eyes, and then through the moonlight shining in from the window, he saw that his mother hadn't left.
He noticed that his mother had only sat up, her back leaning against the wall, the Sharingan in her eyes constantly spinning, her face frighteningly pale.
"Mother?"
Hearing Itachi's voice calling out to her, her gaze shifted from the direction of Asuka's house, landing on Uchiha Itachi, she said coldly.
"Sleep!"
"Isn't mother going to sleep yet?"
Hearing this, Uchiha Mikoto took a deep breath, closed her Sharingan, and patted Itachi's back with one hand.
"I can't sleep."
Uchiha Itachi looked at his mother with concern, puzzled.
"Mother, what happened?"
"I dreamt I went into the kitchen, and there was nothing but Luosifen being cooked in the pot."
As she spoke, the Sharingan in Uchiha Mikoto's eyes began to spin again, she glared hatefully in the direction of Asuka's house, biting her lips until they lost all color.
Uchiha Asuka, I'll wait for you to return from Sunagakure.
"Fushimi Village Demon"
The next morning, at the entrance of Konoha.
"Today is truly a good day for a trip."
As Uchiha Asuka shouldered his travel pack, he turned to look at the villagers who had come to see the team off, and couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.
No matter how much time passed, the villagers were still so enthusiastic.
Unfortunately, these guys weren't here to see him off; after all, he was currently in the Sunagakure team, and the villagers still had a grudge against Sunagakure.
He glanced at another group of ninjas heading towards the battlefield, his gaze lingering on Uchiha Itachi for a long time. At the same time, he felt several gazes fixed on him.
Uzuki Yugao squeezed through the crowd of well-wishers and came to the front. She jumped up and waved at Asuka, shouting.
"Master, have a safe trip!"
After waving back with a smile, Asuka saw his other two students also squeeze out of the crowd.
When his gaze landed on Iruka, he couldn't help but twitch at the sight of the footprints on the other's chest.
This unlucky guy wouldn't have been trampled on by the crowd, would he? "Teacher, return soon!"
Hyuga Hanahana glanced at Yugao, who was waving frantically beside her. She also wanted to jump up and say goodbye to her teacher, but 'What am I thinking?'
Uzuki Yugao squeezed over at this moment. She looked at the somewhat shy Hanahana, then grabbed one of her arms and raised it into the air, waving it as she shouted.
"Teacher is leaving today, don't be so gloomy."
"Okay!"
Watching his three students wave their arms to see him off, spurred on by those around them, Asuka's lips curled up in a smile, and he waved back at them.
Just as he was about to leave with the Sunagakure delegation, his gaze subconsciously swept over the crowd of well-wishers, and it just so happened that Uchiha Mikoto also looked over.
Their eyes met in mid-air. He blinked, and as he looked at Uchiha Mikoto's dark circles and slightly moving lips, he was immediately rendered speechless.
With the Sharingan's superior vision, he could completely understand what the other party was saying.
Pakura glanced at Asuka, who was standing there in a daze, and walked over. Following his line of sight, she saw a black-haired pregnant woman in the Konoha farewell crowd also looking at them, or rather, at Asuka.
After watching the other party's slightly moving mouth for a while, Pakura tilted her head to look at Asuka, and asked in surprise.
"You're married?"
Asuka shook his head and said with certainty.
"No, I'm still single."
Hearing this, Pakura looked at Uchiha Mikoto in confusion, and asked puzzledly.
"Why is that pregnant woman staring at you all the time? She seems to be muttering something, could it be that she's hoping you'll come back soon?"
Heh! She's hoping I won't come back! Asuka sighed in his heart. He glanced at Uchiha Mikoto's smiling face, then looked at Pakura standing beside him, and said with emotion.
"The first time I saw her appear in front of me with a big belly, I wanted her to have an abortion, but as time passed, the tension, unease, and disappointment in my heart eased a lot.
Although the appearance of that child shattered my beautiful fantasies about the future and disrupted many of my plans, I later let it go. I just treated it as another member of the clan, gave some money every month, and fulfilled my duty."
Now that she's pregnant with her second child, I don't have any special feelings about it, other than a bit of complexity.
Oh, right, she's seeing her husband off.
If her husband wasn't heading to the battlefield today, that woman probably wouldn't even be here."
The thought that the money he turns over to the Uchiha Clan every month from his missions might be used on Uchiha Itachi gives Asuka a faint ache in his heart.
It would be better to donate it to the Konoha orphanage.
The orphanage might even give him a good person card, while Uchiha Itachi would most likely stab him in the kidneys.
Clap! Seeing the complex look on Asuka's face, Pakura struck her left palm with her right fist, a look of realization on her face.
Combining it with the most popular novel in the ninja world recently, she quickly conjured up many scenes in her mind.
A scumbag gets someone pregnant and wants to make them have an abortion, but the plan fails.
Because of that sudden child, the scumbag might think about the responsibility he will have to bear for the child in the future, and this responsibility and requirement are very big.
This not only interrupted his future plans, but also interrupted his beautiful fantasy of continuing to pursue others.
In the end, the other party insisted on giving birth to the child, and the scumbag gave some money and hastily settled the matter.
Looking at the situation now, this woman should have seen through the true face of the scumbag and stayed away from him.
Hmm!
Pakura nodded, her gaze towards Asuka mixed with a lot of anger and contempt.
Scumbag.
Then she instantly appeared next to Mikoto, and before the other party could react, she put her arm around her shoulder and pointed at Asuka, whispering.
"Do you want that person to never come back? I can help you."
Following Pakura's finger, Uchiha Mikoto looked at Asuka, who was greeting others, gently nodded, then shook her head again, her face calm.
"Whether from the standpoint of the village, the clan, or myself, I still hope he can return safely."
Seeing that the other party's expression didn't seem fake, Pakura's face showed admiration, and she gritted her teeth.
"You're so kind.
If I were you, I would have roasted that scumbag who only wants to sleep and doesn't want to take responsibility into a mummy."
This sentence directly silenced Uchiha Mikoto.
She observed the somewhat indignant Pakura, organized her words in her mind for a while, and then forced a smile, saying.
"Jonin Pakura, I always feel like you might have misunderstood something."
Misunderstood?
After looking at Uchiha Mikoto for a while, she slowly patted her on the shoulder, comforting her.
"Misunderstanding or not, it doesn't matter.
Although I am from Sunagakure, from a woman's point of view, I still hope you can be happy."
"Okay."
Before Mikoto could say anything, she saw Pakura stuff some silver taels into her hand, then she used Instantaneous Body Technique to appear next to Asuka, staring at him with a murderous look.
Reading Pakura's lip movements, Mikoto's expression instantly darkened.
When did I become a victim of abandonment after a one-night stand?
"Money!"
Asuka followed the Sunagakure group, leisurely walking on the road to Sunagakure.
He looked at Pakura's dark face and curled his lips.
"You imagined so much on your own, stuffing money into our Clan Head's wife's hands without batting an eye. I thought you were giving her milk money. Turns out you misunderstood what I meant."
Pakura's face became even darker. She glanced at Ebizo and the others walking in front, and said angrily.
"Shouldn't a clansman be excited, happy, and thrilled to see his Clan Head's wife pregnant?
Why would they feel uneasy? Aren't you clearly making people think in the wrong direction?"
"Alas!"
Asuka sighed, turned to look in the direction of Konoha, and said helplessly.
"You don't understand. From the moment the Clan Head's wife had her first child, the gears of fate for our Uchiha Clan began to turn, and they're turning faster and faster, gradually showing signs of breaking down.
That's why I'm feeling so bad."
"Since you're not willing to give it, then forget it. No need to make so many excuses."
Touching her own empty wallet, Pakura stretched her fair arm in front of Asuka's chest and said naturally.
"Sunagakure is very poor. After you, the Konoha exchange personnel, arrive in the village, I'm afraid the accommodation will be very poor, and food safety will also be a problem.
But as long as you're willing to pay, I can help you arrange a decent house..."
"Is this how you treat Konoha's representative?"
"Heh~"
Pakura sneered, then put her hands behind her back, with a hint of threat in her words.
"Most of the representatives sent to Sunagakure by the other countries have died in various accidents.
The desert is extremely cold at night. If the houses are a bit dilapidated, people occasionally freeze to death. It's not strange at all."
Before she finished speaking, Pakura felt a thick stack of banknotes in her hand. She looked at Asuka in surprise, pinched the thickness of the money, and put it back in her wallet.
Recently, the village has had too many reparations, and it is said that the Daimyo has also cut a lot of expenses... Even she, a Jonin, has to start budgeting carefully.
She would save the extra money and give it to the village to support the orphans.
She secretly looked at Asuka for a while, and her expression became subtle.
After spending the past few days together, Pakura realized that after observing Uchiha Asuka without prejudice, some of her views on him had changed.
She had even wanted to squeeze all his money to support the village just now.
When did I become so familiar with him? She clearly remembered treating him as an enemy when they first met.
When was it... Oh, maybe it was when she learned that the Daimyo had cut the village's funding and she was desperately trying to find a source of income for the village.
Who told the village behind me to be so poor?
Who told me to be Sunagakure's "hero," Pakura?
Thinking of this, Pakura calmly stuffed the wallet into her ninja tool pouch.
"Finally here!"
Uchiha Asuka shielded his forehead with his hand, gazing at the village built in the desert in the distance, a sense of relief washing over him.
In the desert ahead, a mud-yellow, round castle stood tall, beneath which lay a dreamlike cluster of earth-yellow buildings, some tall, some short, some stout, a magnificent sight from afar.
The village built in the desert, Sunagakure.
It was said that this place used to be a barren land, but after the First Kazekage chose to establish the village here, it gradually prospered.
Uchiha Asuka had long wanted to travel to the Five Great Nations, but the current ninja world was not like the ninja world after the Fourth War. If he stepped into another village and was unfortunately discovered, he would be greeted with the Great Memory Restoration Technique at best, or go play mahjong with the Sage of Six Paths at worst.
The risk was simply too great.
When the group arrived at the entrance of Sunagakure, they were met with a wide street. Although the number of pedestrians on the street was still far behind that of Konoha, it was enough to illustrate the prosperity of Sunagakure in this desert where people were rarely seen for miles.
The pedestrians in Sunagakure almost all wore long robes and wrapped their heads in bandages or white cloth to prevent sand from blowing into their hair.
At this moment.
The pedestrians on the street had already noticed Ebizo and the others returning. They put down what they were doing and their faces bloomed with smiles.
"Lord Ebizo, it's Lord Ebizo."
"And Lady Pakura."
"Welcome back."
"Lord, did the negotiations in Konoha go well?"
One by one, the commoners cheered and came to the front of the group, offering their greetings and secretly inquiring about the war.
"You're really popular!"
Watching Pakura surrounded by enthusiastic commoners, Uchiha Asuka stood not far behind, saying with a hint of envy.
When he returned to the village after the war, although there were people who welcomed him, when they saw a group of Uchiha clansmen with stiff expressions behind him, the villagers subconsciously moved aside and gave their smiles to other ninjas.
"Heh~"
Pakura heard Uchiha Asuka's voice, and she looked at the somewhat gaunt faces of the commoners, a bitter smile unconsciously appearing on her lips.
The village treated them as heroes, but they had failed their expectations.